Gothic (1986)
Category:ArticlesCategory:Films | running time = 87 min. | country = UK | language = English | budget = $916,172 IMDB; Gothic (1986); Box office & business | gross revenue = | preceded by = | followed by = }} Gothic is a British feature film of the historical drama and period drama genres with some fringe elements of horror. It was directed by Ken Russell with a screenplay by Stephen Volk. It was produced by Vestron Pictures and Virgin Vision and premiered at the London Film Festival on November 30th, 1986. It was released in the United States on April 10th, 1987. The premise of the film, based on actual events, is a semi-fictionalized account of the summer of 1816 when young author Mary Shelley was inspired to write her seminal work, Frankenstein. Plot In the summer of 1816 and Lord Byron rents the manor house Villa Diodati near Lake Geneva. He invites several of his close friends to spent the weekend including poet Percy Shelley, his paramour, Mary Godwin, Mary's half-sister Claire Clairmont and Doctor John Polidori. Come June 16th of that year, a massive thunderstorm keeps the group sequestered inside the manor house. The members of the party amuse each other by telling ghost stories and revealing personal secrets to one another. From Mary's previous experience of miscarriage rises the desire to raise her child from the dead. This macabre fantasy, which reveals itself through a series of intense nightmares, inspires her to envision a story that ultimately comes to be known as Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. Doctor Polidori's issues with his own homosexuality as well as thoughts of suicide inspire to create the story "The Vampyre". Cast Notes & Trivia * Gothic redirects to this page. * Alternatively known as Ken Russell's Gothic. * Copyright holder: 1986, Virgin Vision Ltd. * The tagline for this film is, "Conjure up your deepest, darkest fear... now call that fear to life." * Production on Gothic began on May 19th, 1986. * Director Ken Russell is uncredited for his role as a tourist in this film. * Director Ken Russell is uncredited for his role as a tourist in this film. * This is the first professional film work for screenwriter Stephen Volk. * Director Ken Russell, screenwriter Stephen Volk, and actor Andreas Wisniewski all share the same birthday. Russell was born in 1927, Volk was born in 1954 and Wisniewski was born in 1959. * Actor Chris Chappell is credited as Chris Chappel in this film. This is his first professional acting work. * Actress Kim Tillesly, who plays a Shelley fan, is credited as Kim Tillesley in this film. This is her first professional acting work. * This is the first professional film work for actress Myriam Cyr. * This is the first, and to date, only feature film acting work for Pascal King, who plays Justine in this film. * This is the first feature film work for actress Kristine Landon-Smith. * This is the first, and to date, only known acting work for actress Linda Coggin, who plays a Turkish mechanical woman in this film. * This is the first, and to date, only known acting work for actress Christine Newby, who plays a Turkish mechanical woman in this film. * This is the first feature film work for actor Mark Pickard, who plays Young William in this film. * The interior shots of Villa Diodati were filmed at Gaddesden Place in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England. Other scenes in the movie were filmed in Wrotham Park. IMDB; Gothic (1986); Filming locations Recommendations See also External Links * * Gothic at Wikipedia * * * * References ---- Category:1986 films Category:Vestron Pictures Category:Virgin Vision Category:Stephen Volk